


Bonfire in a Skip

by omarandjohnny



Series: Sleep Walk [2]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Burns, Gen, M/M, Nightmares, a bit of angst, a bit of comfort, description of burn injuries, it all goes back to mum, mention of Aaron's burn related self harm, nostalgia is a bastard, the bad old days, the memory of sarah and her death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-17
Updated: 2016-07-17
Packaged: 2018-07-24 08:43:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7501680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/omarandjohnny/pseuds/omarandjohnny
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Random isn't always random.</p><p>Your turn to talk, Rob.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bonfire in a Skip

"I'm alright."

Robert knows trotting out that well-worn lie never works on Aaron. 

_Worth a try, though._

He peels off his sodden vest, chucks it toward the chair nearest the bed. Aaron returns from the kitchen, glass of water and damp cloth in hand. 

"Aaron, you've no need. Let's just get back to sleep."

Aaron clicks his tongue, then gestures for Rob to take a sip. Robert obliges with a quick gulp, returns the glass to his boyfriend, and lies down. Little spoon. Face the wall. A sigh escapes him as Aaron begins to sweep the cloth across his back. 

"I'm sorry if I scared you. Just a bad dream."

Aaron finishes, replacing the cloth with a calloused hand. 

"Robert, talk to me." 

He wants to tell Aaron something. Wants to say why he woke with a yell. He wants to say that it was just a dream about a bad night spent with a nobody.

_We were bored. No harm done._

Which was true, setting fire to the contents of a rusted-out skip in the middle of nowhere wasn't exactly a catastrophic event. Couple of lads watching burger wrappers dance in the flames. Big deal.

_OI! Can't find me keys! Oh, fuck me, I think I dropped'em. Yep, there they...-_

"Robert. Please talk to me."

He winces at the slight tremor in Aaron's voice. 

"Dreamt about an old mate of mine. Antony. Not much of a mate at all, to be honest. Friend of a friend. Used to help him out on a few computer jobs. Installing, mainly. House painting, now and again. Bit of a dick."

He could feel Aaron's soundless chuckle.

"Yeah, yeah. Like attracts like." 

More chuckling, which helps. 

"We were trying to find something to do. It was Bonfire Night. Nothing on telly, so we drove out to an abandoned lot. I thought we were just gonna have a drink and a laugh. I didn't know about the bottle of white spirit he'd stashed in the boot. Wouldn't have agreed to go if I had. Stupid prick." 

Aaron presses against his back, wrapping his arm over Robert. Big spoon. 

"Eh, it was alright. Something to do. Something to see."

He sighs at how ridiculous that sounds. Young. Foolish. Aaron tightens his embrace, signaling Robert to continue.

"Thrill didn't last for long. We were just about to leave, get in his rank-smelling Corsa, go pick up a pizza or something. He'd dropped his keys, didn't realize until we'd got back to his car. What I hadn't seen from my angle was that when he'd been sprinkling liquid over the rubbish, he'd spilled a bit on the floor. His keys had landed in it. He bent over to grab them. Rust holes. Fire still going. Windy night. You do the math. Stupid. Stupid."

Robert recalls having to rinse off the keys with an old, half-emptied can of Tango he'd found discarded near Antony's car. Sticky fingers. He wants to find the humour in it, but the laugh's no longer there.

"He wasn't burned too bad, just caught his hand and a bit of his shoe melted. We got to A&E, had to wait with all the other 'annual burn injury' victims. It was going to be fine. Just fine. Wish I hadn't looked over when he did it." 

"Did what, Robert?"

 _When they gonna see us? Rob, I need to eat. Can't be looking at this over a slice of pepperoni, mate._

"The whole way to hospital, I just kept my eyes on the road. Wasn't gonna look over at him. Did a good job of avoiding looking at any of them in the waiting area. I guess I'd forgot for a moment, and I turned my head just in time to see him pull open a massive burn blister on his palm. I knew, I KNEW I'd been avoiding looking for a reason. Left him sat there. Walked back to my flat. Took ages. On the way home, I just kept thinking about her."

"Your mum."

He lets out a sigh. Relief. _Thank you for remembering. Thank you for saying it first._

"Yeah. Tried so hard for so long not to let my mind go back to that place. What she must have gone through. Felt. Thought it'd been packed away, dealt with. Apparently, all it takes is some knob picking at a burn, and I fall apart."

He feels Aaron shift his weight and pull away slightly. 

"Oh, god. No, Aaron. Aaron. I know what you're thinking. Yours have never affected me in that way, so don't even go there. Never ever."

Robert turns to face Aaron, kissing home messages of reassurance. Forehead. Cheek. Lips. He feels Aaron's body relax against him once more. He slips his left arm up Aaron's shirt, lets his hand rest against his abdomen. Gently, gently.

"He was one of a hundred nobodies I've had to endure over the years. Don't get why the dream is always about Antony. The flames through the holes. The scream he let out. Him pulling at his hand. No, I do get it. It's not really about him." 

Robert pauses for a moment, and then lets himself say it aloud.

"I miss her, Aaron."

"I know ya do." 

_Thank you for understanding._

Aaron raises his arm so Robert can turn back to face the wall, and then resumes the embrace. He thinks he might now be able to sleep the rest of the night without dreaming. Robert feels Aaron's stubble against his neck, followed by the softest of goodnight kisses against his nape. 

_I'm alright._

And this time, it's the truth.

**Author's Note:**

> The fiasco at the grave site in 2014. Robert's subsequent shouting match with Chrissie regarding Lawrence's stunt on the day. He and Andy having it out on the road. He carries Sarah's ghost with him everywhere he goes, but no longer feels comfortable opening up about it. Aaron is the exception. Isn't he always? ;)
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> \- Johnny.
> 
>  
> 
> omarandjohnny.tumblr.com


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